Overview
This applied practicum develops the operational knowledge and practical skills required to manage and improve end-to-end e-commerce processes. Students configure and use an e-commerce platform or simulated environment to complete product onboarding, catalog management, merchandising, inventory planning, procurement, warehousing, order processing, payment handling, shipping, returns, refunds, fraud review, customer support, and service recovery.
The course examines marketplace operations, omnichannel coordination, vendor and third-party logistics management, service-level agreements, packaging, demand forecasting, stockouts, overstock, and operational scalability. Students map processes, create standard operating procedures, monitor operational performance, troubleshoot workflow failures, and coordinate with internal and external partners while applying responsible information-handling practices.
Performance analysis addresses order accuracy, fulfillment time, delivery reliability, return rate, inventory turnover, conversion rate, average order value, customer satisfaction, and operational cost per order. Through practical demonstrations, operational audits, reflective documentation, and a final improvement project, students develop evidence-based recommendations for measurable operational improvement.
Learning Outcomes
- Execute core e-commerce workflows across product, inventory, order, payment, fulfillment, returns, and customer service operations.
- Configure an e-commerce platform or simulated environment to support accurate catalog, order, inventory, and fulfillment management.
- Map operational processes and diagnose bottlenecks, control failures, service disruptions, and sources of avoidable cost.
- Analyze e-commerce performance data using relevant operational, commercial, inventory, fulfillment, and service metrics.
- Develop standard operating procedures and quality assurance controls for recurring e-commerce activities.
- Coordinate operational requirements with vendors, marketplaces, logistics providers, customer service teams, and other internal stakeholders.
- Evaluate risks associated with customer information, fraud review, returns, refunds, and third-party operational dependencies.
- Design and justify measurable improvements that enhance service reliability, operational efficiency, scalability, and customer outcomes.
- Demonstrate professional teamwork, communication, documentation, and reflective practice in an operational environment.
Timetable
| Type | Length | Frequency | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 2 hours | Weekly | All semester |
| Lab | 2 hours | Weekly | All semester |
| Tutorial | 2 hours | Fortnightly | All semester |
| Workshop | 2 hours | Fortnightly | Second term |
Assessment Schedule
| Type | Description | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Assignment | Operational workflow assignments (2 × 10%) | 20.00% |
| Test | Practical platform demonstrations (2 × 15%) | 30.00% |
| Deliverable | Operational audit and reflective log | 15.00% |
| Capstone | Final improvement project | 25.00% |
| Attendance | Professional participation and team practice | 10.00% |
Prerequisites
Teaching Staff & Programs
This course is delivered jointly by faculty from the participating programs listed below. In line with the Douchewater Way, the University of Sexology tailors core instruction directly to each cohort's specific discipline — adapting curriculum to program needs rather than forcing students into a one-size-fits-all model. Learn more about our approach at The Douchewater Way.